Python - Remove word only from within a sentence

user_15319533 0
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I am trying to remove a specific word from within a sentence, which is 'you'. The code is as listed below:

out1.text_condition = out1.text_condition.replace('you','')

This works, however, it also removes it from within a word that contains it, so when 'your' appears, it removes the 'you' from within it, leaving 'r' standing. Can anyone help me figure out what I can do to just remove the word, not the letters from within another string?

Thanks!

str-replace python replace string
3 Answers

In order to replace whole words and not substrings, you should use a regular expression (regex).

Here is how to replace a whole word with the module re:

import re

def replace_whole_word_from_string(word, string, replacement=""):
    regular_expression = rf"\b{word}\b"
    return re.sub(regular_expression, replacement, string)

string = "you you ,you your"

result = replace_whole_word_from_string("you", string)

print(result)

Output:

  , your

Explanation:

The two \b are what we call "word boundaries". The advantage over str.replace is that it will take into account the punctuation too.

In order to create the regular expression, here we use Literal String Interpolation (also called "f-strings", https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0498/).

To create a "f-string", we add the prefix f.

We also use the prefix r, in order to create a "raw string". We use a raw string in order to avoid escaping the backslash in \b.

Without the prefix r, we would have written regular_expression = f"\\b{word}\\b".

If you had used string.replace(' you ', ' '), you would have received this (wrong) output:

you ,you your
user_143945220

A very simple solution is to replace the word with spaces around it with one space:

out1.text_condition = out1.text_condition.replace(' you ', ' ')

But note that it wouldn't remove for example you. (in the end of the sentence) or you,, etc.

user_47277020

Easiest way is probably just to assume there are spaces before and after the word:

out1.text_condition = out1.text_condition.replace(' you ','')
user_136148500
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